Monk with Crusader's Flurry, Trip Attacks, and Whips

[Sindraelyn]

This is sort of two related questions. First a bit of backstory. I'm considering creating a character based on this character posted by Sangalor. It would be a Cleric(Crusader of Calistria), Monk(Martial Artist), and have the Crusader's Flurry feat(Whips are now functionally Monk weapons).

Question 1: How do "trip attacks" function on weapons that have the "trip" ability? Are they counted as "attacks" that use the melee bonus to hit in place of CMB and the maneuver in place of damage?

Question 2: Would a Monk be able to use a Flurry of Blows while wielding a Whip and replace the melee attacks with a "trip attack"? Does a flurry of blows only allow combat maneuvers with unarmed attacks?

Relevant quoted texts:

Monk wrote:

Flurry of Blows (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so, he may make on additional attack, taking a -2 penalty on all of his attack rolls, as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. These attacks can be any combination of unarmed strikes and attacks with a monk special weapon (he does not need to use two weapons to use this ability). For the purpose of these attacks, the monk's base attack bonus from his monk class levels is equal to his monk level. For all other purposes, such as qualifying for a feat or a prestige class, the monk uses his normal base attack bonus...

A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands. A monk may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of a flurry of blows. A monk cannot use any weapon other than an unarmed strike or a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows. A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.

Crusader's Flurry wrote:

Crusader's Flurry

You learned to use your deity's favored weapon as part of your martial arts form.

Prerequisites: Channel energy class feature, flurry of blows class feature, Weapon Focus with your deity's favored melee weapon.

Benefit: You can use your deity's favored weapon as if it were a monk weapon.

Trip weapon wrote:

Trip: You can use a trip weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped.

Combat Maneuvers wrote:

Performing a Combat Maneuver: When performing a combat maneuver, you must use an action appropriate to the maneuver you are attempting to perform. While many combat maneuvers can be performed as part of an attack action, full-attack action, or attack of opportunity (in place of a melee attack), others require a specific action.

[Belryan]

Any melee weapon can be used with a trip attempt. The "trip" special quality just lets you drop it as a free action to avoid being tripped if you botch your roll.

With a weapon, you use your modifiers (Weapon focus, enhancement bonuses, etc) in the trip attempt.

For instance:

Let's say my Halfling is using a quarterstaff to attack

BAB +3, Str +3, Weapon Focus: Quarterstaff: +1, Masterwork, +1, Size Bonus +1 = +9 to hit.

If he wanted to make a trip attempt, he would be at

BAB +3, Str +3, Weapon Focus: Quarterstaff: +1, Masterwork, +1, Size Penalty -1 = +7 to trip.

If he were human, there would be no size bonus/penalty and the two rolls would be the same.

Yes, you can trip during a flurry, but you still take the -2 penalty on attack rolls (including the trip attempt) during the Flurry.

I don't really think a whip build is the way to go. I'm building a similar character, but using a Glaive (Cleric / Monk of Shelyn). That way I can use the same weapon to trip as one attempt, and then damage them with a 1d10 weapon with my second attempt, and I don't need to spend a bunch of feats on the whip.

[Krodjin]

I think the trip quality lets you use the weapon for drag & reposition maneuvers as well. I think I saw that in a FAQ or errata.

[Lord_Malkov]

Belryan has the right of it.

A whip isn't a terrible option per se, but it doesn't actually threaten squares (unless you take the requisite feats) so it doesn't synergize too well. As a monk I think I would rather use a different reach weapon or just use lunge to trip with unarmed strikes.